Robert Hoffman is on a two-week visit to India and besides the Maximum City, could also visit Rajasthan
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 19, 2020)

Mirror had recently reported (Jan 22) that Hollywood actor Dev Patel was on a secret visit to India, to recce and research for his directorial debut, tentatively titled Monkey Man. He was spotted dining at a city suburban restaurant last month. Close on his heels, American actor-dancer-choreographer Robert Hoffman, remembered as Chase Collins from the 2008 dance film, Step Up 2: The Streets, has arrived in Mumbai.

Arsala Qureishi, who had co-written the 2015 drama, Angry Indian Goddesses, is instrumental in getting the 39-year-old actor to India. “I met Robert when I was on a holiday in Los Angeles for three months with a friend, Jas Sagu. During that time, we grew close and he often spoke about wanting to visit our country,” she informs. So, on his first ever visit here, Hoffman will promote a music video “Aag Ka Gola LA” directed by Arsala and features Jas and him. The She’s The Man and Aliens In The Attic actor will be in India for two weeks and she plans to take him around the city. “I also want him to see Jaipur and other cities in Rajasthan to showcase our Indian culture and heritage. I want him to feel India and its music. In fact, he may even extend his trip. I might also introduce him to a Bollywood actress. That’s what he asked,” laughs Arsala.

She recalls that when they were shooting in Santa Monica, once during a dinner break, Hoffman just strolled into a South Indian restaurant and ordered a paneer dosa. “He is open to experimenting and wants to savour every experience. I am going to make sure he has a great stay in India,” she says.

Choreographer Bosco Martis is making his directorial debut with the unique genre; film will be in 3D
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 18, 2019)

While Remo D’souza brought back dance films with his directorial debut, ABCD: Any Body Can Dance, following it up with ABCD 2 and the upcoming Street Dancer 3D, another choreographer is taking it forward. Following reports that Bosco Martis is turning director in collaboration with Zee Studios, Mirror has learnt that the project in question will be a dance-based horror-comedy.

“As a choreographer, I wanted to explore my skills in the dancing world but without trying to attempt a film on the lines of Step Up. So, I came up with the idea of making a dance-based horror-comedy. It sets the platform to do things magically,” said Bosco, who is working on the screenplay of the film with a team of writers. “The concept came from me and I am working with the writers to develop it into a fullfledged screenplay,” he added.

He goes on to add that not many people globally are aware about the genre. “The only thing anybody can recollect is Michael Jackson’s music video, Thriller. We are still working on the film and will have something interesting to offer as the attempt is to create a unique experience for the audience,” he informed, adding that his directorial debut will be shot in 3D. The film is in the pre-production stage and the cast is yet to be finalised, but Bosco promises that his film will have an A-Lister. “We are concentrating on writing a good film and will pitch it to actors later. We want to take the film on floors in the second half of the year.”

It will feature several dancers, and Bosco plans to rope in a few from his reality show, Dance India Dance. “I will select those dancers who can act,” he confirmed.

Shariq Patel, CEO, Zee Studios, added that the film will be mounted on a big scale. “We are excited to enter this unique genre in India for the first time. It’s a delight to partner with Bosco on not just the film, but also our show, Dance India Dance.” 

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; February 22, 2019)

She had a busy year, after Dilbar (Satyameva Jayate) made waves and Nora Fatehi was signed up for pivotal roles in John Abraham’s Batla House as well as Salman Khan’s Bharat. The new year added another feather to her cap, when she was cast in Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor’s in Street Dancer 3D. The dance film has recently gone on floors and is currently being shot in London.

Given that the Remo D’Souza directorial is an out-and-out dance film, it’s expected to be packed with groovy face-offs between actors. Talking about her preparation for the film, Nora says, “2018 was my year and 2019 has also begun on a high note. It’s a grand dance film, and I really didn’t expect it to happen. You know when you think of a dance film, you think of Step Up and You Got Served. I watched those movies in my growing up years. Back in the day, I used to wonder if there’s ever a film like this, I’ll probably be a part of it, performing some of those energetic dance-offs. And look, it’s happened!”

She adds, “I’ve been preparing for this for years, but now that I’m ready to shoot, I realise that the level of dancing is going to be about 50 times higher than anything I have done before. I am not a trained dancer, which is hard for people to believe. There have been many dance forms that have been very difficult for me to pick up, but once I’ve figured them, it’s been comfortable. Contemporary dance was like that and right now, popping-locking is giving me sleepless nights. Whacking is also like that. Hip hop, Afro and even belly dancing were difficult, but only at the outset. I enjoy them now.”

Elaborating on what’s making her nervous about her under-production ventures, Nora says jokingly, “This year, people will see me for more than five minutes on the screen in all three films — Batla House, Bharat and Street Dancer. Let’s see if they can put up with that.” 

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 4, 2014)

Imitation is the best form of flattery but history has taught us that the desi version of a Hollywood production never matches up to the original. And we have two fresh examples.

Mirror was the first to tell you that scenes from the Ragini MMS 2 number Baby Doll were inspired by J Lo’s Dance Again (What a Flying Coincidence, dated February 24, 2014). Now, it seems that Balaji Films has stepped up its ‘inspiration’ game with Ek Villain.

The poster of their latest film, featuring Shraddha Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra, bears a striking resemblance to the publicity material of the 2006 dance drama Step Up.


And when the trailer of the Himesh Reshammiya-starrer The Xpose released, social media platforms called it a copy of the Baz Luhrmann musical The Great Gatsby.

Right from the flapper costumes, champagne toasts and fireworks to Himesh’s tuxedoclad attempt to pass off as Leonardo Di Caprio; the trailer reverberates with the gaudy opulence of the “Baz age”.

When Mirror called up the director, Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, he tried to explain away the resemblance. “If you look at the Bollywood of the ‘60s, it was heavily inspired by what Hollywood looked like in the ‘50s which is the premise of my film,” explained the director.

But The Great Gatsby is a nod to the American Jazz age, set against the roaring ‘20s? “Look, Bollywood and its stars copied the West, lock stock and barrel, and that is what we have tried to reflect through our film. The affluence, the grandeur and the larger-than-life celebrations were emulated without a second thought,” reasoned Ananth.

So does he admit to being ‘inspired’ by the Hollywood hit, one frame at a time? “I’d call The Xpose, Teesri Manzil meets The Dirty Picture. However, if you say it looks like The Great Gatsby then I’d consider it an honourable comparison,” he said.

While Mahadevan was upfront about the influence, Tanuj Garg, CEO, Balaji Motion Pictures, denied having any knowledge of a film called Step Up. He told us that Shraddha’s damsel-in-distress look and Siddharth’s protective demeanour, is a “standard intense romantic pose” and any resemblance to the poster of the Channing Tatum-Jenna Dewan starrer was “purely coincidental.” Now, haven’t we heard that before.